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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — the most important part
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spell — magic
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — final
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. last — to go on
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — for light
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. last — finally
  24. saw — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com